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Dairy Production System in Lowland Area of Gambella, Ethiopia

Tesfamicheal Fssha

The average for landholding for pasture lands were higher in pastoral production system (4.31 ± 0.22 ha) than in mixed crop-livestock production system (3.43 ± 0.18 ha). Average cattle herd size per household was higher in the pastoral production systems (12.51 ± 0.32 than in the mixed crop-livestock production system (9.35 ± 0.38). The majority of producers (63.3%) in the pastoral system produced milk for home consumption, while the majority of mixed crop–livestock producers (40.0%) produced milk for selling purpose. All family members had a role in dairy cattle management in both the production systems. In the mixed crop–livestock system, mostly cereal crop based grazing is the major feed resource but these feed resources were managed in a traditional ways. Almost all respondents in the mixed crop-livestock system (96.5%) and pastoral system (100%) did not supplement their lactating cow with additional feeds. More than 400 cattle herds from 2-3 villages graze together between 10 am to 4 pm daily. The main source of water in both the studied areas was river (47.5%). The majority of households (68.3%) in the mixed crop– livestock system kept their cattle separately in barn, while other 8.3% of the households did the same in pastoral areas. The most commonly mentioned diseases of cattle were trypanosomiasis (51.7%), Pastuerllosis (22.5%), CBPP (13.3%), FMD (8.3%) and parasites (4.2%). The overall of the respondents in both systems (53.5%) used traditional medicine to treat their animals. Constraints for dairy development in the area are diseased condition, thieves, lack of veterinary services, lack of credit, feed and feeding and poor extension services. It can be concluded dairy cattle production in the mixed crop-livestock system was economical and based on mixed agriculture (crops plus livestock) with some fishing activity, mining and wild food collection. While in pastoral production the major economic activities are livestock rearing comprising mainly cattle, goats and sheep, respectively.